Seaford VIC 3198
Seaford is a suburb in Victoria, 52 km from Melbourne CBD, around 47 minutes by car. Population is 17,215; the median age is 40 and the median household income is $78,000 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The suburb grew 4.6% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $351 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,850. Seaford is characterised by high crime risk and high flood risk. Of 9 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Seaford a good suburb?
Seaford scores a C (41/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on prices and safety.
Mixed results
9 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 62/100 · 51.9 km · 47 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $870K · Less affordable than 75% of VIC
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 83/100 · Flood 73/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 40 · 17,215 residents
Liveability Rating
41 / 100 · Ranked #547 in VICEach bar is Seaford's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Seaford?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
41 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataSeaford's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $870,000, about 5% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$870,000
6% above its 5 neighbours (median $817,500)
Based on 383 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 188 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 31 sales $740K
- 3 bed 262 sales $850K
- 4 bed 65 sales $1M
- 5 bed 18 sales $1.06M
Units
$610,000
15% above its 5 neighbours (median $530,500)
Based on 155 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 23 days — median across 85 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 91 sales $540K
- 3 bed 55 sales $720K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Seaford are currently listed at around $890,000 on average. Based on 171 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$890K
171 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$605K
52 units listed in the last 6 months.
223 of the suburb's 7,191 dwellings (3.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Seaford rent for around $680 a week on average, based on 93 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$680/wk
5% above its 5 neighbours (median $650/wk)
93 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$550/wk
23 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
116 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,474 rented homes (4.7%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025120 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3198.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$680/week ($35,000 a year) on a $890,000 median
$550/week ($29,000 a year) on a $605,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
39 active Airbnb listings: 34 whole homes and 5 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.4% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Seaford safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Seaford sits in the high band, with 1,854 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 17% on the prior year.
1,854 offences
17.2% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202577 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 1.2 km
- Rate
- -0.21 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -16.0 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Nine schools serve Seaford, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Kananook Primary School leads the pack.
- • 2,916 students across 8 schools (avg 364)
- • Sectors: 8 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1004-1070, median 1014 (around the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Patterson River Secondary College (1,268 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Seaford is somewhat walkable on foot — at 62/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car. Within the suburb there are 4 supermarkets, 18 parks and 18 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Seaford.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 206.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 178.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 119.7 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.1 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 4.5 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Seaford.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 46%
- Premises covered
- 9,914
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Frankston: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 39 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Seaford is home to about 17,200 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $78,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
17,215
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$78,000/yr
Census Median Rent
$351/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,850/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$42,068/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.3%
Total Dwellings
7,191
Owner-Occupier Rate
65.6%
Houses
73.6%
Rental Stress
23.4%
Mortgage Stress
28.5%
Work From Home
26.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
239 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 34 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,368 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 74.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 84.6%
- Employment Rate
- 58.6%
- Completed Year 12
- 42.9%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
309 residents (1.8%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 16,036 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
9% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (715 of 8,309).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 6,801 people work here; 8,309 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.8 per resident). At least 18% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,795 a year through Frankston based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 45%
- Infrastructure and transport 24%
- Parks and recreation 17%
- Industrial 13%
- Rural and farming 1%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Proposed rezonings
- Commercial 1 Zone → Commercial 1 Zone · C167fran, exhibited Jan 2026 5.7 ha
- Commercial 1 Zone → Commercial 1 Zone · C167fran, exhibited Jan 2026 0.9 ha
and 1 smaller change
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Frankston
In the year to August 2026, 725 new dwellings were approved across Frankston. That mix is 244 houses and 481 units. Approvals are down 46.9% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 112 homes
- Projects firmly planned 44 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 37 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 31 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 20.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.98 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Dandenong monitoring station, 14.2 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Frankston Beach, 5.2 kmwarm summers — mild winters.
- Elevation
- 4 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.2 km
- 1.3 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- —
- Summer max (Jan)
- 24.5°C
- 4 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 8.3°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 2.0 kmRigid and Semi-Rigid Polymer Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 4.9 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3198, 105 of 14,490 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.2% (318 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3198, 2,270 rooftop-solar systems totalling 13.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,785 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 147 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
3 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3198 in 2025-26, rank 155 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 174, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
4 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $870,000 this is $120,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Jodie Belyea Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jodie Belyea | 57.1% | 42.9% | +0.3 |
| 2022 | Peta Murphy | 56.3% | 43.7% | -3.5 |
| 2019 | Peta Murphy | 52.7% | 47.3% | -1.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Sonya Kilkenny Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sonya Kilkenny ALP | 50.0% | 59.9% | 40.1% |
| 2018 | Sonya Kilkenny ALP | 52.7% | 62.0% | 38.0% |
| 2014 | Sonya Kilkenny ALP | 50.7% | 50.7% | 49.3% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Seaford?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 17,215 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Seaford to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Seaford
Is Seaford a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Seaford is high (83/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Seaford?
Seaford has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (73/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Seaford a good place to live?
Seaford has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (41/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Seaford?
Seaford, VIC had a population of 17,215 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Seaford, VIC?
The postcode for Seaford, VIC is 3198.
How far is Seaford from Melbourne?
Seaford is 52 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 47 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Seaford?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Seaford was $78,000 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Seaford?
The median advertised rent in Seaford is $680 a week for houses (93 listings) and $550 a week for units (23 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Seaford?
The median age of residents in Seaford was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Seaford?
There are 9 schools inside the Seaford boundary: 1 above, 4 at, and 2 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Seaford walkable?
Seaford scores 62/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Seaford?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Seaford (Dandenong) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 20.8 µg/m³. That puts Seaford below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Seaford?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Seaford, Frankston Beach (5.2 km away), summer days average 24.5°C, winter nights 8.3°C, and 4 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Seaford?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Seaford belong to?
Seaford sits within the Frankston local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Seaford?
The average residential rates bill through Frankston is $1,795 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Seaford?
Across Frankston, 725 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 46.9% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Seaford in?
Seaford sits within the federal Division of Dunkley, currently held by Jodie Belyea (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.